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The Department develops and implements the NMW program, a TANF program designed to provide cash assistance, childcare, and supportive services to New Mexico’s needy families to assist them in achieving self-sufficiency. Through the work program, NMW program will:
• Assist participants obtain and keep employment sufficient to sustain and strengthen the family. • Provide parents with education and training, job preparation and readiness, and work and support services to enable them to obtain and retain employment, which assists them to complete the program. • Transition participants from cash assistance into the workforce. During this transition, the participant receives transitional services and program features to support employment retention. • Provide case management assistance and services to participants that focus on addressing and overcoming barriers to participation in work activities. • Provide a reasonable level and duration of support for those who are not able to transition into employment in the near term. • Allow NMW assistance and services to be available in all geographic areas of the state. • Encourage family formation by rule and policy formulation supportive of two- parent families. • Align certain NMW and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provisions to simplify the programs and to control the program’s administrative costs. • Implement the Family Violence Option under TANF. • Implement Separate State Programs using Maintenance of Effort (MOE) funds. • Implement the state’s statutory Rape Prevention Education plan for law enforcement officers. • Implement an Out-of-Wedlock Birth Reduction plan for the state.
8. PROGRAM SCOPE Statewide Program Access
The NMW Cash Assistance Program as well as the work program activities, operate statewide. Program services are available to families who meet program eligibility criteria. Program eligibility criteria and payment standards are uniform throughout the state. Work program activities, such as training and educational services may vary from place to place depending on the availability of community resources. Native Americans living within a Tribal TANF SDA may not receive benefits concurrently from the Tribal program and NMW Cash Assistance Program. The Department will continue to provide SNAP and Medicaid benefits to eligible tribal members. Subject to availability, tribal members may participate in